General Motors Co said on Monday (07 December) Kaher Kazem will become head of its India unit effective January 1 after the current chief, Arvind Saxena, retires as general manager at year-end.
"With Kaher's hands-on experience and direct knowledge of the business, we are pleased to appoint him to lead GM India at this important time," Stefan Jacoby, chief of GM International whose operations include those in India, said in a statement.
He further added that Kazem's proven track record will enable the company to deliver to Indian consumers the great vehicles they want and the world-class customer experience they deserve.
Kazem, a 46-year-old Australian executive who became GM India's chief operating officer in August this year, is highly regarded within the company for leading GM's Uzbekistan operations from 2012, company sources have said. He has been with GM since 1995.
His appointment comes as the automaker struggles to boost sales in the world's fifth-largest auto market due to a lack of competitive products.
GM's sales in India fell by about 37 per cent to 31,528 vehicles in the year to October compared with the same period a year earlier, industry data showed. Total passenger vehicle sales over the same period rose by more than 7 per cent.
Kazem's appointment also comes on the heels of a shift in GM's Asia strategy to focus more on India, taking some of the strain off South Korea, a big export hub for GM where labour costs have ballooned in recent years.
The carmaker announced in July that it would invest $1 billion over the next five years to turn India into a global export hub and boost sales of its Chevrolet brand with 10 new domestically manufactured vehicles. It will also stop production at one of two plants in India to cut costs.
(Reuters also contributed to this story)
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